Background for interchangeable display characters



Nov. 1l, 1947. l.. c. OWNBEY BACKGROUND FOR INTERCHANGEABLE DISPLAY CHRACTERS Filed July 17, 1945 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 1l, 1947 lBACKGRCIVUN) FOR INTROHANGEABLE .DISPLAY CHARACTERS Lloyd C. (lwnbey, Los-Angeles, Calif., assignor to Theatre Specialties, Incorporated, a corporation of Californiav Application July 17, 1945, Serial No. 605,535

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-140) The object of this invention is to provide a background for display characters. As is well known, theaters and other places of amusement constantly change the programs, andthey advertise the play now being played and the names of the stars on the outside of the theater, so as to attract the attention of the public. The changeable letters are mounted on track-ways in front of a translucent background, so that the illumination from lights behind the background can pass therethrough so that the changeable letters may be viewed. It is sometimes desirable to have access to the area behind the background. For instance, the lights behind the background sometimes burn out so that it is necessary to replace them. With my improved background construction I have provided certain translucent panels, which are load supportingipanels, which are interrupted at intervals so as to provide windows, and I provide slidable panels so that thet7 can be moved sideways to uncover the window so that the light behind it can be replaced, and when the light has been replaced, the slidable panel can be moved tol close the window.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plastic translucent track-way so as to avoid the unsightly opaque track-ways forthe changeable letters, as have heretofore been employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single track with channelways to receive the load supporting panels and other tracks and channelways to receive the slidable panels. This same track is also provided with a front flange, on which the changeable letters are mounted, and is provided with a rear portion which serves as a means to prevent the displacement of the track laterally.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed specification and claims which follow.

The invention may be better understood by referring to the attached drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a portion of my improved background;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional View through an intermediate portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view showing two tracks and the parts coacting therewith; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed View of one track, but in a slightly modified form from that shown in Fig. 3.

The background is mounted on the front of a frame I having an open front portion and a rear Wall v2, which carries the lights 3 and spacer bars 2 t, which extend into holes in the rear portion of the central Iplate 5 of the track.

There are four upwardly extending ribs 6, l, 8 and 9 and identical downwardly extending ribs, all of said ribs being integral with the central plate 5. There is a rear channelway it between the ribs S and l and a front channelway II -between the ribs 'l and 8; while, of course, there is also a channelway between the ribs 8 and 9, it is not used as a channelway. The changeable letter I2 is provided with rearwardly and downwardly extending lugs I3 and rearwardly and upwardly extending lugs I4. As shown in Fig. 3, the lug lll is placed beneath the rib 9 of the upper track and raised until the lug I3 is above the rib 9 of the lower track, whereupon the letter is moved rearwardly and dropped so that the lug I3 is supported by the lower rib 9, -and the lug It rests behind the downwardly extending rib 9 of the track above it.

The background is provided with tiers of xed translucent plates I5, which extend within the rear channel I0 of the track below it and into the corresponding channel of the track above it. The upper track is supported by this xed panel which, in turn, supports the fixed panel above it, sov that these xed panels are load supporting panels. As shown in Fig. 2, these load supporting panels I5 extend from the bottom to the top of the background, except for the slight spaces occupied Aby the central plate 5. As shown in Fig. 1, these panels I5 are yprovided with windows It in front of the lights 3. Slidable translucent panels Il are mounted in the channelways I I, which are the channelways in front of the channelways lll. These panels I'l are slidable in the channelways so that the operator can move the slidable panels so as to uncover the window I6 so as to replace a light, and then can move it back so as to close the window.

Obviously, the panel I 'l could be of the same height as the panel I5, provided the thickness of the central plate 5 were greater adjacent the panel I5 than it is adjacent the panel Il. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 3, in which ribs I8 extend upwardly and downwardly from the central plate 5 at the base of the channelway Il), so that the distance between the extremities of the ribs on upper and lower tracks would be less than the distance between the central plate 5 of upper and lower tracks adjacent the channelways Il.

An alternative construction is shown in Fig. 4, in which the peak of the rib I8' extends to substantially the same height as the bottom of the channelway II. With such a construction, the

3 movable panel l1 should be of a slightly less height than the height of the fixed panel I5, so that the slidable panel can be readily moved.

I realize that many changes may be made in the specific form of the invention shown -by Way of illustration herein, and I, therefore, desire to claim the same broadly except asY I may limit myself in the attached claims. Having now de scribed my invention, I claim:

1. In a background for display characters, a plurality of vertically aligned spaced tracks, each provided with two sets of laterally offset upwardly and downwardly extending channels, a tier of translucent load supporting iixed panels each nested in a corresponding pair of channels of the tracks above and below such panels, said panels and tracks resting upon each other, such panels being interrupted at spaced intervals forming windows, and slidable panels movable in the offset channels and adapted to cover or uncover said windows.

2. In a background for display characters, a plurality oi verticallyaligned spaced tracks, each provided with two sets of laterally offset upwardly and downwardly extending channels, a tier of translucent load supporting xed panels each nested in a corresponding pair of channels of the tracks above and below such panels, said panels and tracks resting upon each other, such panels being interrupted at spaced intervals forming windows, slidable panels movable in the oiset channels and adapted to cover or uncover said windows, and illuminating` means behind said panels.

3. Ina background for display characters, a plurality of vertically aligned spaced tracks, each provided with two sets of laterally offset upwardly and downwardly extending channels, a tier of translucent load supporting fixed panels each nested in a corresponding pair of channels of the tracks above and below suol; panels, said panels and tra'cl resting upon each other, such panels being interrupted `at spaced intervals forming windows, slidable panels movable in the offset channels and adapted to cover or uncover 1t)v said front iiange serving as a means to support the display characters.

, 5. In a background for display characters, a

` plurality 'of vertically aligned spaced tracks insaid windows, and a flange carried by said tracks cluding front and rear upwardly and downwarly extending. channelways, a tier of iixed translucent panels each supported in one of the upwardly extending channelsways and extending into a corresponding downwardly extending channelway in the track above it, and serving as a support for the last-named track and the panels and tracks thereabove, adjacent panels being spaced apart forming a window therebetween, and a slidable translucent panel movable in an offset pair of said channelways adjacent said window and serving as a means to close said window. Y

6. In a background for display characters, a plurality of tracks including front and rear upwardly and downwardly extending channelways, a tier of fixed translucent panels each supported in one of the upwardly extending channelways and extending into a corresponding downwardly extending channelway in the track above it, and serving as a support for the last-named track and the panels and tracks thereabove, adjacent panels being spaced apart forming a window therebetween, a slid'able translucent panel inovable in an offset pair of said channel-ways ad-y jacent said window and serving as a means to close said window, and means carried by said tracks whereby display characters may be sup.; ported.

LLOYD C. OWNBEY.

REFERENCES CITED 'rae following references are of record in the me ef this' patentz UNITED 'STATES Pam `frs 

